One Bicopper Complex with Good Affinity to Nitrate for Highly Selective Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia
Ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) plays an irreplaceable role in human life as a promising energy carrier and indispensable chemical raw material. Nitrate electroreduction to ammonium (NRA) not only removes nitrate pollutants, but also can be used for efficient NH<sub>3</sub> producti...
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Catalysts |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/12/12/1561 |
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| author | Kang-Yu Zeng Jun-Jie Wang Xiang Fang Zuo-Xi Li |
| author_facet | Kang-Yu Zeng Jun-Jie Wang Xiang Fang Zuo-Xi Li |
| author_sort | Kang-Yu Zeng |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) plays an irreplaceable role in human life as a promising energy carrier and indispensable chemical raw material. Nitrate electroreduction to ammonium (NRA) not only removes nitrate pollutants, but also can be used for efficient NH<sub>3</sub> production under ambient conditions. However, achieving high efficiency and selectivity of electrocatalysts is still a great challenge. Herein, a complex Cu<sub>2</sub>(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>4</sub>(BMMB)·H<sub>2</sub>O with a bicopper core is assembled by Cu(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>·3H<sub>2</sub>O and 1,4-bis{[2-(2’-pyridyl)benzimidazolyl]methyl}benzene (BMMB) for NRA under alkaline conditions. The optimal sample showed excellent nitrate reduction performance with the NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> conversion rate of 70%, Faradaic efficiency of up to 90%, and NH<sub>3</sub> selectivity of more than 95%. The high-catalytic activity is mainly due to the ingeniously designed copper cores with strong affinity for NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>, which accelerates the transferring rate of adsorbed nitrate on the Cu surface and increases the efficiency of rate-determining step (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> → NO<sub>2</sub><sup>−</sup>) in the whole catalytic process. Therefore, the transformation of surface-exposed nitrate can be rapidly catalyzed by the Cu active sites, facilitating the conversion efficiency of nitrate. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:13:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f9b82d9a69a1469e867c88ad2cd5986a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4344 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:13:53Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Catalysts |
| spelling | doaj.art-f9b82d9a69a1469e867c88ad2cd5986a2023-11-24T13:51:05ZengMDPI AGCatalysts2073-43442022-12-011212156110.3390/catal12121561One Bicopper Complex with Good Affinity to Nitrate for Highly Selective Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to AmmoniaKang-Yu Zeng0Jun-Jie Wang1Xiang Fang2Zuo-Xi Li3Institute of Materials Science and Devices, School of Material Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, ChinaSchool of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Anyang Key Laboratory of New Functional Complex Materials, Anyang Normal University, Anyang 455000, ChinaSchool of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and Anyang Key Laboratory of New Functional Complex Materials, Anyang Normal University, Anyang 455000, ChinaInstitute of Materials Science and Devices, School of Material Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, ChinaAmmonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) plays an irreplaceable role in human life as a promising energy carrier and indispensable chemical raw material. Nitrate electroreduction to ammonium (NRA) not only removes nitrate pollutants, but also can be used for efficient NH<sub>3</sub> production under ambient conditions. However, achieving high efficiency and selectivity of electrocatalysts is still a great challenge. Herein, a complex Cu<sub>2</sub>(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>4</sub>(BMMB)·H<sub>2</sub>O with a bicopper core is assembled by Cu(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>·3H<sub>2</sub>O and 1,4-bis{[2-(2’-pyridyl)benzimidazolyl]methyl}benzene (BMMB) for NRA under alkaline conditions. The optimal sample showed excellent nitrate reduction performance with the NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> conversion rate of 70%, Faradaic efficiency of up to 90%, and NH<sub>3</sub> selectivity of more than 95%. The high-catalytic activity is mainly due to the ingeniously designed copper cores with strong affinity for NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup>, which accelerates the transferring rate of adsorbed nitrate on the Cu surface and increases the efficiency of rate-determining step (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>−</sup> → NO<sub>2</sub><sup>−</sup>) in the whole catalytic process. Therefore, the transformation of surface-exposed nitrate can be rapidly catalyzed by the Cu active sites, facilitating the conversion efficiency of nitrate.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/12/12/1561electrocatalystscopper complexnitrate affinitynitrate electroreductionammonium production |
| spellingShingle | Kang-Yu Zeng Jun-Jie Wang Xiang Fang Zuo-Xi Li One Bicopper Complex with Good Affinity to Nitrate for Highly Selective Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia Catalysts electrocatalysts copper complex nitrate affinity nitrate electroreduction ammonium production |
| title | One Bicopper Complex with Good Affinity to Nitrate for Highly Selective Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia |
| title_full | One Bicopper Complex with Good Affinity to Nitrate for Highly Selective Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia |
| title_fullStr | One Bicopper Complex with Good Affinity to Nitrate for Highly Selective Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia |
| title_full_unstemmed | One Bicopper Complex with Good Affinity to Nitrate for Highly Selective Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia |
| title_short | One Bicopper Complex with Good Affinity to Nitrate for Highly Selective Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia |
| title_sort | one bicopper complex with good affinity to nitrate for highly selective electrocatalytic nitrate reduction to ammonia |
| topic | electrocatalysts copper complex nitrate affinity nitrate electroreduction ammonium production |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/12/12/1561 |
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